1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input device for use in automobile-mounted air conditioners, applicable with particular suitability to what makes the user feel a kinesthetic sense in manipulation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To describe the configuration of an input device with reference to FIG. 15, a box-shaped frame 51 has a square top plate 51a, a round hole 51b provided in this top plate 51a, and four side walls 51c bent downward from the four sides of the top plate 51a. 
First and second interlocked members 52 and 53 consisting of metal plates respectively have slits 52a and 53a at the center and are arc-shaped. The two ends of the first interlocked member 52, in a state of being housed in the frame 51, are fitted to a pair of mutually opposite side walls 51c, and the first interlocked member 52 can pivot on these fitted portions.
The second interlocked member 53 is housed in the frame 51 in a state of being mutually orthogonal to and crossing the first interlocked member 52, and its two ends are fitted to the other pair of side walls 51c, and the second interlocked member 53 can pivot on these fitted portions.
A linear manipulating member 54 is pressed into the crossing slits 52a and 53a of the first and second interlocked members 52 and 53 and thereby enabled to engage with the first and second interlocked members 52 and 53. One end of it protrudes outward through the hole 51b of the frame 51 and the other is supported by a supporting member 55 arranged underneath the frame 51 to enable the manipulating member 54 to incline.
When the manipulating member 54 protruding from the hole 51b is picked and manipulated, the manipulating member 54 inclines pivoting on the portions supported by the supporting member 55 and, along with the inclination of this manipulating member 54, the first and second interlocked members 52 and 53 engaged with the manipulating member 54 rotate.
In its neutral position, the manipulating member 54 is normal to the supporting member 55, and when the manipulating member 54 in this neutral position is inclined in the direction of arrow A parallel to the slit 52a, the second interlocked member 53 engages with the manipulating member 54 and rotates.
Or when the manipulating member 54 in its neutral position is inclined in the direction of arrow B parallel to the slit 53a, the first interlocked member 52 engages with the manipulating member 54 and rotates. When the manipulating member 54 in a position midway between the direction of arrow A and that of arrow B is inclined in the direction of arrow C, both the first and second interlocked members 52 and 53 engage with the manipulating member 54 and rotate.
First and second rotarily manipulated electrical parts 56 and 57, each consisting of a rotary sensor or the like, respectively have bodies 56a and 57a and rotation shafts 56b and 57b rotatably fitted to the bodies 56a and 57a. 
The first and second rotarily manipulated electrical parts 56 and 57 are fitted to the supporting member 55 on the same plane, and the rotation shaft 56b of the first rotarily manipulated electrical part 56, coupled to one end of the first interlocked member 52, rotates along with the rotation of the first interlocked member 52 and the first rotarily manipulated electrical part 56 is thereby manipulated.
The rotation shaft 57b of the second rotarily manipulated electrical part 57, coupled to one end of the second interlocked member 53, rotates along with the rotation of the second interlocked member 53 and the second rotarily manipulated electrical part 57 is thereby manipulated.
The first and second rotarily manipulated electrical parts 56 and 57 detect the inclined position of the manipulating member 54.
First and second motors 58 and 59 respectively have bodies 58a and 59a and rotation shafts 58b and 59b fitted rotatably to these bodies 58a and 59a. 
The first and second motors 58 and 59 are fitted to the supporting member 55 on the same plane. As the rotation shaft 58b of the first motor 58 is coupled to the rotation shaft 56b of the first rotarily manipulated electrical part 56, the turning force of the first motor 58 is transmitted to the rotation shaft 56b via the rotation shaft 58b and, as the rotation shaft 59b of the second motor 59 is coupled to the rotation shaft 57b of the second rotarily manipulated electrical part 57, the turning force of the second motor 59 is transmitted to the rotation shaft 57b via the rotation shaft 59b. 
Next, the operation of the conventional input device having the above-described configuration will be explained. First, when the manipulating member 54 is inclined, along with the rotations of the first and second interlocked members 52 and 53, the rotations of the first and second interlocked members 52 and 53 respectively cause the rotation shafts 56b and 57b to turn and the first and second rotarily manipulated electrical parts 56 and 57 to be operated, and the inclined position of the manipulating member 54 is detected.
When the manipulating member 54 is inclined, a signal is sent to the first and second motors 58 and 59 from a controller (not shown) to drive the first and second motors 58 and 59, and this driving force is transmitted to the rotation shafts 56b and 57b of the first and second rotarily manipulated electrical parts 56 and 57.
Then, the driving force of the first and second motors 58 and 59 acts as a reactionary force (kinesthetic sense or haptic sense) to the inclining motion of the manipulating member 54.
The input device according to the prior art involves the problem that, because the first and second interlocked members 52 and 53 are arc-shaped and rotate, the first and second interlocked members 52 and 53 occupy a large space in the longitudinal direction and accordingly the device tends to be large in the longitudinal dimension.
There is another problem that, as the axial directions of the rotation shafts 56b and 57b of the first and second rotarily manipulated electrical parts 56 and 57 and of the rotation shafts 58b and 59b of the first and second motors 58 and 59 are the same as and moreover are continuous from the extending directions of the first and second interlocked members 52 and 53, the rotarily manipulated electrical parts 56 and 57 and the motors 58 and 59 occupy a large installation space in the lateral direction and accordingly the device tends to be large in the lateral dimension.
In view of these problems, the present invention is intended to provide a compact and inexpensive input device reduced in longitudinal and lateral dimensions.
As a first means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration provided with a manipulating member slidable in any direction in a full 360-degree range from its initial position, a sliding member slidable together with the manipulating member on a plane normal to an axial direction of the manipulating member, at least a pair of first and second drive members linearly slidable along with motion of the sliding member and arranged at a right angle to each other, and first and second detecting members respectively operated by the first and second drive members, wherein, during sliding of the manipulating member, the sliding member slides in the same direction as the manipulating member, the sliding member can alter their respective engaging positions with the first and second drive members to enable each of the first and second drive members to shift linearly, and the linear shifting of the first and second drive members enables the first and second detecting members to be operated.
Since, in this configuration, the drive members linearly shift along with the sliding of the sliding member, the need to rotate arc-shaped interlocked members in the conventional configuration is eliminated, making it possible to reduce the required space in the longitudinal direction and therefore resulting in an input device made more compact in the longitudinal dimension.
As a second means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein the sliding member has a planar part and a pair of first engaging means arranged at a right angle to each other, the sliding member is slid as a top and a bottom of the planar part are guided by a guiding member, second engaging means provided on each of the first and second drive members engage with each of the first engaging means, and each of the first and second drive members shifts linearly enabling the second engaging means to alter their respective engaging positions with the first engaging means.
This enables a configuration in which the drive members to linearly shift along with the sliding motion of the sliding member to be easily realized, resulting in enhanced productivity and reduced cost.
As a third means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein the first engaging means are formed of a pair of slits provided on the planar part and extending at a right angle to each other, the first and second drive members are arranged extending at a right angle to the slits, the second engaging means provided on the drive members are formed of stubs engaging with the slits, and each of the first and second drive members linearly shifts enabling the stubs to alter their respective engaging positions with the slits.
This enables a configuration to be as simple as merely engaging stubs with slits, and accordingly an arrangement to allow the drive members to linearly shift along with the sliding motion of the sliding member to be easily realized, resulting in enhanced productivity and reduced cost.
As a fourth means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein the first engaging means are formed of a pair of rod-shaped guide rails provided on the planar part and extending at a right angle to each other, the first and second drive members are arranged extending at a right angle to the guide rails, the second engaging means provided on the drive members are formed of holds for holding the guide rails, and each of the first and second drive members linearly shifts enabling the holds to alter their respective engaging positions with the guide rails.
This enables a configuration to be as simple as making holds hold guide rails, and accordingly an arrangement to allow the drive members to linearly shift along with the sliding motion of the sliding member to be easily realized, resulting in enhanced productivity and reduced cost.
Further, the use of the guide rails serves to smoothen the alteration of the engaging positions, resulting in an easier-to-manipulate device.
As a fifth means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein the planar part has a plurality of holes, into which balls are inserted, and the balls cause the planar part to slide while remaining in contact with the guiding member.
This configuration serves to smoothen the sliding motion of the sliding member, resulting in an easier-to-manipulate device.
As a sixth means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration further provided with regulating means for causing the first and second drive members to linearly shift.
This enables a configuration in which the drive members to linearly shift more reliably, resulting in a device more reliable in operation.
As a seventh means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein the detecting members have linearly manipulated electric parts, and manipulable parts of the linearly manipulated electric parts are linearly manipulated by linear shifting of the drive members.
This configuration can provide an input device wherein the manipulable parts of linearly manipulated electric parts can be linearly manipulated by the linear shifting of the drive members.
As an eighth means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein the detecting members have rotarily manipulated electrical parts, and rotation shafts of the rotarily manipulated electrical parts are rotationally manipulated by the linear shifting of the drive members.
This configuration can provide an input device wherein the rotation shafts of rotarily manipulated electrical parts cab be rotationally manipulated by the linear shifting of the drive members.
As a ninth means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein teeth provided on the drive members are meshed with gears fitted to the rotation shafts, and the teeth rotate the rotation shafts via the gears.
This configuration can provide an input device wherein the manipulation of the rotarily manipulated electrical parts can be made more dependable.
As a tenth means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein a motor to transmit a kinesthetic sense to the manipulating member is provided, matching each of the first and second drive members.
This configuration can provide an input device giving a kinesthetic sense to the manipulating member.
As an eleventh means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein a gear fitted to each of the rotation shafts of the motors is engaged with each of the teeth provided on the first and second drive members, and a kinesthetic sense is transmitted to the manipulating member via the gears, the drive members and the sliding member.
This configuration can provide a simple input device in which a kinesthetic sense can be dependably transmitted to the manipulating member.
As a twelfth means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration further provided with a casing, wherein the manipulating members protrude from a front wall of the casing, and the detecting members and the motors are housed in the casing.
This configuration can provide a more compact input device in which the detecting member and motors are housed in the casing.
As a thirteenth means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein the detecting members and the motors are arranged in a lower part of the sliding member.
This configuration can provide an even more compact input device because the detecting members and the motors are arranged in the lower part of the sliding member.
As a fourteenth means to solve the problems noted above, there is proposed a configuration wherein the motors are arranged in a state in which axes of the motors are arranged at a right angle to extending directions of the drive members.
This configuration can provide an input device reduced in the installation space of motors in the lateral direction and more compact in the lateral direction than devices according to the prior art.